[Epidemiology and diagnostics of mesenteric ischemia]. / Epidemiologie und Diagnostik der mesenterialen Ischämie.

BACKGROUND: Mesenteric ischemia is a life-threatening condition with a complex etiology and diagnostics. OBJECTIVE: Etiology, incidence, symptoms, and diagnostics of acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Literature search via PubMed with a focus on studies on the epidemiology and diagnostics of mesenteric ischemia and analysis of existing international guidelines. RESULTS: The incidence of acute mesenteric ischemia is given as 0.63-12.9 per 100,000 people per year. There are no sufficiently reliable figures for chronic mesenteric ischemia, but an incidence of up to 3 per 100,000 inhabitants per year is generally assumed. The three-phase computed tomography has the highest diagnostic specificity and sensitivity. CONCLUSION: In the presence of risk factors acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia should be considered as differential diagnoses in the presence of abdominal pain using three-phase computed tomography.

Treatment of acute mesenteric ischemia between 2010 and 2020 - a German nation-wide study.

BACKGROUND: Aim of this study was to analyze long-term trends of hospitalizations, treatment regimen and in-hospital mortality of in-patients with acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) over the past decade and effects of the SARS-CoV2-pandemic. METHODS: We analyzed fully anonymized data from the German Federal Statistical Office of patients with AMI between 2010 and 2020. Besides descriptive analyses of age, gender, in-hospital mortality, comorbidity burden and treatment regimen, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent variables associated with in-hospital mortality and different treatment. RESULTS: A total of 278,121 hospitalizations (120,667 male [43.4%], mean age 72.1 years) with AMI were included in this study. The total number of hospitalizations increased from 2010 (n = 24,172) to 2019 (n = 26,684) (relative increase 10.4%). In-hospital mortality decreased over the past decade from 36.6% to 2010 to 31.1% in 2019 (rel. decrease 15.2%). Independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality were older age (OR = 1.03 per year), higher comorbidity burden (OR = 1.06 per point in van Walraven score [vWs]), male gender (OR = 1.07), AMI as a secondary diagnosis (OR = 1.44), and the need for surgical (visceral surgery: OR = 1.38, vascular surgery: OR = 3.33) and endovascular treatment (OR = 1.21). We report a decline in hospitalizations during the first wave of infection in spring 2020 (rel. decrease 9.7%). CONCLUSION: In-hospital mortality rate has declined over the past decade, but remains high at above 30%. Older age, increased comorbidity and male gender are independent factors for in-hospital mortality. Hospitalizations requiring vascular surgery are associated with high in-hospital mortality, followed by visceral surgery and endovascular approaches. The first wave of the SARS-CoV2-pandemic in spring 2020 implied a decrease in hospital admissions.

Epidemiology of Acute Mesenteric Ischemia: A Population-Based Investigation.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of population-based studies on acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). We have therefore performed a nationwide epidemiological study in Estonia, addressing incidence, demographics, interventions and mortality of AMI. METHODS: A retrospective population-based review was conducted of all adult cases of AMI accrued from the digital Estonian Health Insurance Fund and Causes of Death Registry for 2016-2020 based on international classification of diseases (ICD-10) diagnostic codes and procedure codes (NOMESCO). RESULTS: Overall, 577 cases of AMI were identified-an annual incidence of 8.7 per 100,000. The median age was 79 (range 32-104) and 57% were female. Predominating comorbidities included hypertensive disease (81%), atherosclerosis (67%), and atrial fibrillation (52%). The majority of cases (60%) were caused by superior mesenteric artery occlusion (thrombosis 54%, embolism 12%, and unclear 34%). Inferior mesenteric artery occlusion occurred in 7%, non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia in 7%, venous thrombosis in 4%, whereas the type remained unclear in 21% of cases. 40% of patients received intervention (revascularization and/or intestinal resection) and 13% active non-operative treatment. In 21% an exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy revealed unsalvageable bowel prompting end-of-life care, which was the only management in a further 25% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The population-based annual incidence of AMI in Estonia was 8.7 per 100,000 during the study period. The overall hospital mortality and 1 year mortality were 64% and 74%, respectively. In the 53% of patients who received active treatment hospital mortality was 32% and 1 year all-cause mortality was 51%. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04867499.

Incidence and outcomes of acute mesenteric ischaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI), proportions of its different forms and short-term and long-term mortality. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (Ovid), Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library were searched until 26 July 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies reporting data on the incidence and outcomes of AMI in adult populations. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Data extraction and quality assessment with modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale were performed using predeveloped standard forms. The outcomes were the incidence of AMI and its different forms in the general population and in patients admitted to hospital, and the mortality of AMI in its different forms. RESULTS: From 3064 records, 335 full texts were reviewed and 163 included in the quantitative analysis. The mean incidence of AMI was 6.2 (95% CI 1.9 to 12.9) per 100 000 person years. On average 5.0 (95% CI 3.3 to 7.1) of 10 000 hospital admissions were due to AMI. Occlusive arterial AMI was the most common form constituting 68.6% (95% CI 63.7 to 73.2) of all AMI cases, with similar proportions of embolism and thrombosis.Overall short-term mortality (in-hospital or within 30 days) of AMI was 59.6% (95% CI 55.5 to 63.6), being 68.7% (95% CI 60.8 to 74.9) in patients treated before the year 2000 and 55.0% (95% CI 45.5 to 64.1) in patients treated from 2000 onwards (p<0.05). The mid/long-term mortality of AMI was 68.2% (95% CI 60.7 to 74.9). Mortality due to mesenteric venous thrombosis was 24.6% (95% CI 17.0 to 32.9) and of non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia 58.4% (95% CI 48.6 to 67.7). The short-term mortality of revascularised occlusive arterial AMI was 33.9% (95% CI 30.7 to 37.4). CONCLUSIONS: In adult patients, AMI is a rarely diagnosed condition with high mortality, although with improvement of treatment results over the last decades. Two thirds of AMI cases are of occlusive arterial origin with potential for better survival if revascularised. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021247148.

Mesenteric Ischemia in Patients with Coronavirus 2019: A Scoping Review.

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a systemic disease associated with severe gastrointestinal complications including life-threatening mesenteric ischemia. We sought to review and summarize the currently available literature on the presentation, management, and outcomes of mesenteric ischemia in patients with COVID-19. Patients and Methods: The PubMed database was searched to identify studies published between January 2020 and January 2021 that reported one or more adult (≥18 years) patients with COVID-19 who developed mesenteric ischemia during hospitalization. The demographic characteristics, clinical and imaging findings, management, and outcomes of patients from each study were extracted and summarized. Results: A total of 35 articles reporting on 61 patients with COVID-19 with mesenteric ischemia met the eligibility and were included in our study. The mean age was 60 (±15.9) years, and 53% of patients were male. Imaging findings of these patients included mesenteric arterial or venous thromboembolism, followed by signs of mesenteric ischemia. Sixty-seven percent of patients were taken to the operating room for an exploratory laparotomy and bowel resection and 21% were managed conservatively. The terminal ileum was the most commonly involved area of necrosis (26%). The mortality rate of patients with COVID-19 with mesenteric ischemia was 33%, and the most common cause of death was multiorgan failure or refractory septic shock. Twenty-seven percent of patients managed operatively died during the post-operative period. Conclusions: Mesenteric ischemia in patients with COVID-19 is a devastating complication associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Further efforts should focus on developing strategies for early recognition and management.

Predicting outcomes of mesenteric ischemia postcardiac surgery: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to identify predictors of outcomes of mesenteric ischemia in patients following cardiac surgery. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was done on EMBASE, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and SCOPUS using keywords relating to bowel ischemia and cardiac surgery. Database search results were screened by at least two authors and 32 articles were selected for inclusion in this review. RESULTS: Data on 1907 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 70.0 ± 2.99 years and the prevalence of bowel ischemia was 1.74%. Advanced age was a significant risk factor. 63.16% of patients reported were men, and 58.4% of patients died in hospital. There was heterogeneity in the reported significance of the following preoperative risk factors: hypertension, smoking status, type 2 diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease, preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction <35%. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, preoperative/operative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support, and inotrope usage were significantly associated with the development of mesenteric ischemia; however, other intraoperative factors including the type of cardiac surgery and duration of aortic cross-clamping had varying levels of reported significance. There were discrepancies in the reported significance of leukocytosis and metabolic acidosis (pH <7.3) as postoperative markers. Postoperative vasopressor use, prolonged ventilation time, and elevation in lactate, transaminases, creatinine, and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (IFABP) levels were found to be strongly associated with bowel ischemia. CONCLUSION: This systematic review found the strongest associations of mesenteric ischemia postcardiac surgery to be advanced age, CPB time, rise in lactate, transaminases, creatinine, and IFABP. IABP support, vasopressor, and inotrope use as well as prolonged ventilation were strongly linked too.

Acute intestinal ischemia in patients with COVID-19: single-centre experience and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Acute Intestinal ischemia (AII) may involve the small and/or large bowel after any process affecting intestinal blood flow. COVID-19-related gastrointestinal manifestations, including AII, have been attributed to pharmacologic effects, metabolic disorders in ICU patients and other opportunistic colonic pathogens. AII in COVID-19 patients may be due also to "viral enteropathy" and  SARS-CoV-2-induced small vessel thrombosis. A critical appraisal of personal experience regarding COVID-19 and AII was carried out comparing this with a systematic literature review of published series. PATIENTS AND METHODS:   A retrospective observational clinical cohort study and a systematic literature review including only COVID-19 positive patients with acute arterial or venous intestinal ischemia were performed. The primary endpoint of the study was the mortality rate. Secondary endpoints were occurrence of major complications and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Patient mean age was 62.9±14.9, with a prevalence of male gender (23 male, 72% vs. 9 female, 28%). The mean Charlson Comorbidity Index was 3.1±2.7. Surgery was performed in 24/32 patients (75.0%), with a mean delay time from admission to surgery of 6.0 ±5.6 days. Small bowel ischemia was confirmed to be the most common finding at surgical exploration (22/24, 91.7%). Acute abdomen at admission to the ED (Group 1) was observed in 10 (31.2%) cases, while 16 (50%) patients developed an acute abdomen condition during hospitalization (Group 2) for SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our literature review showed how intestinal ischemia in patients with SARS-CoV-2 has been reported all over the world. The majority of the patients have a high CCI with multiple comorbidities, above all hypertension and cardiovascular disease. GI symptoms were not always present at the admission. A high level of suspicion for intestinal ischemia should be maintained in COVID-19 patients presenting with GI symptoms or with incremental abdominal pain. Nevertheless, a prompt thromboelastogram and laboratory test may confirm the need of improving and fastening the use of anticoagulants and trigger an extended indication for early abdominal CECT in patients with suggestive symptoms or biochemical markers of intestinal ischemia.

Colonic involvement in acute mesenteric ischemia: prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of colonic involvement in patients with acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). METHODS: CT scans from a prospective cohort of 114 AMI patients treated in an intestinal stroke center between 2009 and 2018 were blindly reviewed by two radiologists. Colon involvement was defined on CT scan by the presence of at least one of the following CT colonic features: wall thickening, pneumatosis, decreased wall enhancement, dilatation, or perforation. In addition, the clinical, biological, and radiological characteristics of patients with and without colonic involvement were compared to identify risk factors for colonic involvement on CT and its impact on morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Colonic involvement was identified in 32/114 (28%) patients with AMI, the right colon being more frequently involved (n = 29/32, 91%). Wall thickening (n = 27/32) was the most common CT finding. Occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery was the only statistically significant risk factor for colonic involvement (35% vs. 15%, p = 0.02). Patients with colonic involvement on CT vs. those without had more frequently transmural colonic necrosis (13% vs. 0%, p = 0.006), short bowel syndrome (16% vs. 4%, p = 0.04), need for long-term parenteral support (19% vs. 5%, p = 0.03), and death during follow-up (22% vs. 10%, p = 0.03). DISCUSSION: In patients with AMI, colonic involvement is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and should be carefully searched for during initial CT scan assessment. KEY POINTS: • In a prospective cohort of acute mesenteric ischemia patients from an intestinal stroke center, 28% had an associated colonic involvement on CT. • Colonic involvement on CT most commonly affected the right colon, and the occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery was the only risk factor. • Colonic involvement on CT was associated with increased morbidity and mortality and should be carefully searched for during initial CT scan assessment.

Ischemic bowel disease in 2021.

Ischemic bowel disease (ISBODI) includes colon ischemia, acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) and chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI). Epidemiologically, colon ischemia is the most common type followed by AMI and CMI. There are various risk factors for the development of ISBODI. Abdominal pain is the common presenting symptom of each type. High clinical suspicion is essential in ordering appropriate tests. Imaging studies and colonoscopy with biopsy are the main diagnostic tests. Treatment varies from conservative measures to surgical resection and revascularization. Involvement of multidisciplinary team is essential in managing ISBODI. Although open surgery with revascularization plays an important role, recently there is an increasing interest in percutaneous endovascular treatment.

Impact of lockdown on emergency general surgery during first 2020 COVID-19 outbreak.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and analyze the impact of lockdown strategy due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on emergency general surgery (EGS) in the Milan area at the beginning of pandemic outbreak. METHODS: A survey was distributed to 14 different hospitals of the Milan area to analyze the variation of EGS procedures. Each hospital reported the number of EGS procedures in the same time frame comparing 2019 and 2020. The survey revealed that the number of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020 was reduced by 19% when compared with 2019. The decrease was statistically significant only for abdominal wall surgery. Interestingly, in 2020, there was an increase of three procedures: surgical intervention for acute mesenteric ischemia (p = 0.002), drainage of perianal abscesses (p = 0.000285), and cholecystostomy for acute cholecystitis (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in the metropolitan area of Milan, the number of patients operated for emergency diseases decreased by around 19%. We believe that this decrease is related either to the fear of the population to ask for emergency department (ED) consultation and to a shift towards a more non-operative management in the surgeons 'decision making' process. The increase of acute mesenteric ischaemia and perianal abscess might be related to the modification of dietary habits and reduction of physical activity related to the lockdown.

Chronic mesenteric ischemia: Diagnosis and management.

Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is an uncommon, potentially underdiagnosed clinical condition. Although there is a high prevalence of mesenteric artery stenoses (MAS), an abundant collateral network in the mesenteric circulation mitigates occurrence of ischemia. The most common etiology of CMI is atherosclerosis. CMI is a clinical diagnosis, based upon typical and atypical symptoms and consistent anatomic findings. Typical symptoms of CMI are postprandial abdominal pain, unintended weight loss and food avoidance. The main modalities to diagnose MAS are duplex ultrasound, CT angiography or MR angiography, although high resolution CTA is preferred. Endovascular therapy with balloon expandable stents has become the preferred treatment for MAS.

Natural History of Asymptomatic Superior Mesenteric Arterial Stenosis Depends on Coeliac and Inferior Mesenteric Artery Status.

OBJECTIVE: The benefit of preventive treatment for superior mesenteric artery (SMA) stenosis remains uncertain. The latest European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) guidelines remain unclear given the lack of data in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate asymptomatic SMA stenosis prognosis according to the presence of associated coeliac artery (CA) and/or inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) stenosis. METHODS: This was a single academic centre retrospective study. The entire computed tomography (CT) database of a single tertiary hospital was reviewed from 2009 to 2016. Two groups were defined: patients with isolated > 70% SMA stenosis (group A) and patients with both SMA and CA and/or IMA > 70% stenosis (group B). Patient medical histories were reviewed to determine the occurrence of mesenteric disease (MD) defined as development of acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) or chronic mesenteric ischaemia (CMI). RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients were included. Median follow up was 39 months. There were 24 patients in group A and 53 patients in group B. In group B, eight (10.4%) patients developed MD with a median onset of 50 months. AMI occurred in five patients with a median of 33 months and CMI in three patients with a median of 88 months. Patients of group B developed more MD (0% vs. 15.1%; p = .052). The five year survival rate was 45% without significant difference between groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with SMA stenosis associated with CA and/or IMA seem to have a higher risk of developing mesenteric ischaemia than patients with isolated SMA stenosis. Considering the low life expectancy of these patients, cardiovascular risk factor assessment and optimisation of medical treatment is essential. Preventive endovascular revascularisation could be discussed for patients with non-isolated > 70% SMA stenosis, taking into account life expectancy.

Monitoring of the Progression of the Perioperative Serum Lactate Concentration Improves the Accuracy of the Prediction of Acute Mesenteric Ischemia Development After Cardiovascular Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the sensitivity and specificity of perioperative lactate gradients for the prediction of subsequent acute mesenteric ischemia development in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective, single-center, case-control study. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The study comprised 108 (1.15%) patients with acute mesenteric ischemia who were selected from 9,385 patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery and were matched to 324 control patients by age and surgery type. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Univariate and logistic regression analyses were used to examine intraoperative and early postoperative lactate levels in patients with and without mesenteric ischemia after cardiac surgery. Late intraoperative lactate concentrations were significantly greater in patients who subsequently developed mesenteric ischemia (p < 0.001). Patients with lactate levels >3 mmol/L had a four-fold increased risk of mesenteric ischemia development (odds ratio [OR] 4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4-7.5; area under the curve [AUC] 0.597; p < 0.002). Patients whose lactate levels remained >3 mmol/L on the first postoperative day had a nearly eight-fold increased risk (OR 7.8, 95% CI 4.6-13.3; AUC 0.68; p < 0.001), indicating that mesenteric ischemia developed at an early stage in almost every second patient (p < 0.001). For patients with normal or less elevated lactate levels, similar results were obtained for a >200% increase between the intraoperative and early postoperative periods (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.4-6.8; AUC 0.62; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Late intraoperative and early postoperative lactate levels >3 mmol/L and increases >200%, even when remaining within the normal range, should raise the suspicion of subsequent mesenteric ischemia development.

Risk factors for ischemic antiphospholipid syndrome: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify clinical and laboratory risk factors for ischemic stroke (IS) in primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a case-control study with consecutive primary APS patients divided into two groups, those who presented with IS, vs. those with no history of stroke. Demographics, vascular risk factors, therapeutic approaches, laboratory, imaging and functional outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-three confirmed primary APS patients with IS and sixty-six non-stroke primary APS controls were recruited. Most patients were female (65.5 %), with a median age of 33 years. The main vascular risk factors for primary APS-associated stroke were hypertension (11.3 %), diabetes (11.3 %) and hypercholesterolemia (9.4 %). Among patients with stroke, median NIHSS score was 6; 15.1 % of these patients presented a recurrent stroke, and 88.8 % had a good functional outcome at the final follow-up. Positive lupus anticoagulant (OR = 6.1, 95 %CI 2.7-13.5), anti-ß2 glycoprotein IgG (OR = 3.6, 95 %CI 1.7-7.9), and anticardiolipin IgG (OR = 2.8, 95 %CI 1.3-5.9) were more prevalent in non-stroke primary APS, with a triple-positive antibody presence in 46.4 % of controls vs. 22.2 % of patients with stroke (OR = 3.0, 95 %CI 1.3-6.7). At the time of the index event (arterial or venous), 14 known primary APS patients were using vitamin K antagonists, but only 35.7 % of them had achieved therapeutic INR. CONCLUSION: Patients with primary APS and IS have similar vascular risk factors and lower antibody positivity than those with extracranial thrombosis.

The Incidence of Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia in the Well-Defined Region of a Dutch Mesenteric Ischemia Expert Center.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the incidence of chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) and to examine the influence of the etiological cause, location, and severity of a mesenteric artery stenosis on the probability of having CMI. METHODS: A prospective database, containing the details of all patients with suspected CMI referred to a renowned CMI expert center, was used. Patients residing within the expert centers' well-defined region, between January 2014 and October 2019, were included. CMI was diagnosed when patients experienced sustained symptom improvement after treatment. RESULTS: This study included 358 patients, 75 had a ≥50% atherosclerotic stenosis of 1 vessel (CMI 16%), 96 of 2 or 3 vessels (CMI 81%), 81 celiac artery compression (CMI 25%), and 84 no stenosis (CMI 12%). In total, 138 patients were diagnosed with CMI, rendering a mean incidence of 9.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2-13.7) per 100,000 inhabitants. Atherosclerotic CMI was most common, with a mean incidence of 7.2 (95% CI 4.6-11.3), followed by median arcuate ligament syndrome 1.3 (95% CI 0.5-3.6) and chronic nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia 0.6 (95% CI 0.2-2.6). The incidence of CMI was highest in female patients (female patients 12.0 [95% CI 7.3-19.6] vs male patients 6.5 [95% CI 3.4-12.5]) and increased with age. CMI was more prevalent in the presence of a ≥70% atherosclerotic single-vessel stenosis of the superior mesenteric artery (40.6%) than the celiac artery (5.6%). DISCUSSION: The incidence of CMI is higher than previously believed and increases with age. Probability of CMI seems highest in suspected CMI patients with multivessel disease or a ≥70% atherosclerotic single-vessel superior mesenteric artery stenosis.

Efficacy and Safety of Bevacizumab Combined With First-Line Chemotherapy in Elderly (≥75 Years) Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Real-World Study.

BACKGROUND: Although elderly patients are the first concerned by colorectal cancer (CRC), they are underrepresented in clinical trials. The real-world CASSIOPEE study was thus conducted in elderly patients treated for metastatic CRC (mCRC). METHODS: This French prospective, multicenter, noninterventional study aimed to estimate 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and describe treatments, patient autonomy (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; Balducci scale), and safety over 24 months, in patients older than 75 with mCRC, starting first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy (NCT01555762). RESULTS: From 2012 to 2014, 402 patients were included (safety population: n = 383, efficacy population: n = 358). Patient characteristics were as follows: mean age, 81 ± 4 years (<80 years, 46%; 80-85 years, 44%; >85 years, 10%); men, 52%; colon primary tumor, 80%; main metastatic site, liver 66%; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance 0-1, 81%. Median PFS was 9.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.3-10.2). It was superior for patients ≤85 years (<80 years: 9.3 months; 80-85 years: 9.5 months) compared with patients >85 years (8.3 months). Median OS was 19.0 months (95% CI, 16.5-21.5) and decreased in the 2 oldest groups (20.6, 17.8, and 13.0 months). Autonomy assessments decreased over time leading to nonconclusive results. Twenty-six percent of patients experienced serious adverse events (SAEs): 7% bevacizumab-related SAEs, and 6% bevacizumab-targeted SAEs. Two fatal bevacizumab-related adverse events were reported (hemorrhagic stroke and intestinal ischemia). CONCLUSIONS: This large French real-world study showed that medically fit older patients with mCRC could have a benefit/risk balance similar to that of younger patients when treated with first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. Improvements in geriatric assessments are needed to better define this population.